USA National Team 2012 Olympics

[NorCal]

If Team USA starts loading up on all of these guys, plus has ball dominant LeBron, who sucks badly against a zone defense, then you are going to start resembling the 2004 Olympics team. A team that is dominated by ball hogging small guards that rely on athletic ability, and have to get into the lane to be effective - that's the exact recipe of a beatable Team USA. It's a mirror of the 2004 team.

Coach K better not even try something like that. He would be much better off picking some "role players" then going with a 2004 like roster.

There's a BIG BIG BIG difference between a starting 1-2-3 of Marbury-Iverson and Richard Jefferson and Chris Paul-Kobe and Lebron. I'll leave any ridiculous comparison of the '04 roster to the '12 roster at that.

Another point I want to make is that most people overvalue 'role players', IMO. Our 'role players' on the '08 team and I am betting on this year's Olympic team are all-NBAers, not guys like Jefferson on the '04 team or Battier and Hinrich on the '06 team. If there is a basic understaning of hierarchy within the team and you have leaders on the court, coaches who are respected and provide leadership and a basic game plan and preparation, things will be fine. What I mean is, give me those ingredients with the best possible makeup of talent and I'll take that team over a team with great role players.

People forget that, historically, the biggest indicators of success are which team has more basketball talent, not who has the better role players. Don't get me wrong, there is a place for role players on every team, but there is a much higher correlation of talent to win% than any other factor to win%. People may get mad at that statement and point out the few times, for instance, that the USA has been beaten when they've had more talent. However, for every time a team with more talent loses there are 10 times where the team with more talent beats the team with better 'role players'.

[Federoy]

If Team USA starts loading up on all of these guys, plus has ball dominant LeBron, who sucks badly against a zone defense, then you are going to start resembling the 2004 Olympics team. A team that is dominated by ball hogging small guards that rely on athletic ability, and have to get into the lane to be effective - that's the exact recipe of a beatable Team USA. It's a mirror of the 2004 team.

Coach K better not even try something like that. He would be much better off picking some "role players" then going with a 2004 like roster.

Hmmm...to even remotely suggest that the '12 team resembles '04 is like comparing Welches grape juice to Cognac. The 2004 squad was comprised of young, unproven players with no international experience thrown together in a three week span with no sense of chemistry or comradery . They had no true point guard, no outside shooters, and too many players with similar skill sets. How does that roster even compare to a team that features Paul, Bryant, Williams, Durant and a vastly improved LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony?

Sorry bro, this current iteration of Team USA is more than capable of winning gold with or without all of its "A" players.

[CKR13]

If Team USA starts loading up on all of these guys, plus has ball dominant LeBron, who sucks badly against a zone defense, then you are going to start resembling the 2004 Olympics team. A team that is dominated by ball hogging small guards that rely on athletic ability, and have to get into the lane to be effective - that's the exact recipe of a beatable Team USA. It's a mirror of the 2004 team.

Coach K better not even try something like that. He would be much better off picking some "role players" then going with a 2004 like roster.

The comparison is far off. Team USA 2012 will function more like a retooled version of the 2010 team. The quality of coaching alone will even tell you that Coach K is at the helm while 2004 had Larry Brown. I guess people would want to believe what they want to believe.

More on the side of LeBron James, 2012 James is much more better than 2008 LeBron. More and more, LeBron James is starting to learn on how to disorient zones using his abilities integrated into the team's concept of dynamic wing entry.

[CKR13]

No Aldridge, no Wade, no Bosh, no Dwight, no Rose, no Bynum, no Billups in the Olympics all because of injuries. Which means we might see Blake and Love to replace Bosh and Aldridge while Wade and Rose might be replace by Harden and Westbrook. The biggest problem of Team USA is the center position. They only have Chandler, no Bynum and no Dwight.

They cannot get the services of Hibbert since he is a citizen of another country and Lopez is still recovering from injury. Even at powerforward position USA is undersize compared to the frontlines of Spain, Argentina, Russia, and France. Honestly, USA is in big trouble in the Olympics if they don't train well and play seriously. Good thing they have the unstoppable of duo of LBJ and KD, that's key and the veteran leadership of Kobe.

By the way why don't they include Perkins or Deandre Jordan to the pool or better yet invite Duncan. It is a last chance for Duncan to win a gold medal which is the only thing missing in his career.

A little too late to send invites to the people that you said.

Team USA will be fine. What this team lacks in depth at center and traditional power forwards will be compensated by athleticism and speed of movement on both offense and defense. In offense, expect Team USA to stretch the floor and put constant pressure on the perimeter with forward dives. In defense, we'll shift into a collective zone effort like Jim Boeheim's Syracuse zone. One more thing, this team will be good in 50/50 long ball possessions and if we convert, it leads to a fast break.

[Shawshank]

i dont see point for USA to be worry...when you have in your starting5 3 best worlds basketball players in Lebron+Durant+Bryant i dont think you have to worry about center position...And still at the weak position you have best nba defender in 2012 comon its not even fair ) Easy gold this year for Usa.

[Olympiacos]

There's a BIG BIG BIG difference between a starting 1-2-3 of Marbury-Iverson and Richard Jefferson and Chris Paul-Kobe and Lebron. I'll leave any ridiculous comparison of the '04 roster to the '12 roster at that.

No there isn't. Paul is fat and out of shape. He is really undersized for FIBA and does not handle the physical play well. Kobe is old, over the hill, has a gimpy knee, and is a shell of his former self. LeBron is almost useless against a good half court zone defense. So no, really no difference there at all. In fact, Marbury and Iverson in that time were better players than Paul and Kobe currently are.

Hmmm...to even remotely suggest that the '12 team resembles '04 is like comparing Welches grape juice to Cognac. The 2004 squad was comprised of young, unproven players with no international experience thrown together in a three week span with no sense of chemistry or comradery . They had no true point guard, no outside shooters, and too many players with similar skill sets. How does that roster even compare to a team that features Paul, Bryant, Williams, Durant and a vastly improved LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony?

Sorry bro, this current iteration of Team USA is more than capable of winning gold with or without all of its "A" players.

OK, you guys are overrating the current USA team big time. This is going to be the weakest USA team since 2004.

The comparison is far off. Team USA 2012 will function more like a retooled version of the 2010 team. The quality of coaching alone will even tell you that Coach K is at the helm while 2004 had Larry Brown. I guess people would want to believe what they want to believe.

More on the side of LeBron James, 2012 James is much more better than 2008 LeBron. More and more, LeBron James is starting to learn on how to disorient zones using his abilities integrated into the team's concept of dynamic wing entry.

LeBron still can't play against a good half court zone defense. So no, he is not any better. He simply didn't face zone defense in the NBA Finals.

[NorCal]

No there isn't. Paul is fat and out of shape. He is really undersized for FIBA and does not handle the physical play well. Kobe is old, over the hill, has a gimpy knee, and is a shell of his former self. LeBron is almost useless against a good half court zone defense. So no, really no difference there at all. In fact, Marbury and Iverson in that time were better players than Paul and Kobe currently are.



OK, you guys are overrating the current USA team big time. This is going to be the weakest USA team since 2004.



LeBron still can't play against a good half court zone defense. So no, he is not any better. He simply didn't face zone defense in the NBA Finals.

So then "Olympiacos", I take it you don't believe the USA in your mind to win the Olympics? If so, what team are you betting on, even including all of the OQT teams?

[Federoy]

So then "Olympiacos", I take it you don't believe the USA in your mind to win the Olympics? If so, what team are you betting on, even including all of the OQT teams?

It's pointless even arguing with this dude. He probably believes Usain Bolt is an "average" sprinter and that the Spanish football team "accidentally" won their second Euro Cup today.

[Dtown]

I'll give "Olympiacos" this much, he was more subtle for the first few weeks than he has been in the past. Still didn't make it to the OQT before he gave it away though.

[Federoy]

I'll give "Olympiacos" this much, he was more subtle for the first few weeks than he has been in the past. Still didn't make it to the OQT before he gave it away though.

What is it up to now, VS666's third or fourth different profile?

[NorCal]

What is it up to now, VS666's third or fourth different profile?

Better than some other sites where he runs three to four at a time in order to appear like his opinions are more popular. Like Dtown said, he was fairly subtle for a little while but when he had his first real chance to go back to his old ways, he couldn't resist.

[CKR13]

This is why Olympiacos / FIBA Europe Basket gets banned in a lot of forums. He trolls and makes the most moronic arguments and when he gets banned, he'll bitch about how evil moderators / admins are on another board. Example is on how he called every American morons in the realgm forums and he whines here about being banned.


Moving on, Anthony Davis will get a personal workout from Coach K this July 4th.

[Federoy]

Better than some other sites where he runs three to four at a time in order to appear like his opinions are more popular. Like Dtown said, he was fairly subtle for a little while but when he had his first real chance to go back to his old ways, he couldn't resist.

LMAO...I'm sure more old adversaries will be jumping out of the wood works as the Olympics draw near.

[CKR13]

NIKE Lunar Hyperdunk USA Black

Here's the earlier version:

[Dtown]

Anyone on the current training camp roster have a contract with addidas? Seems silly but it's come up in the past.

[Raze Lupin]

ANTHONY DAVIS IS OUT WITH ANKLE INJURY!

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap...t_For_Team_USA

[usagre]

i really don't want odom to make the squad

[CKR13]

Speaking of Odom, things are looking up for him. He is now back with the LA Clippers and seems to be in great shape. From his interview with ESPN Radio, he looks upbeat for the next NBA Season.

[yogaflame]

A little too late to send invites to the people that you said.

Team USA will be fine. What this team lacks in depth at center and traditional power forwards will be compensated by athleticism and speed of movement on both offense and defense. In offense, expect Team USA to stretch the floor and put constant pressure on the perimeter with forward dives. In defense, we'll shift into a collective zone effort like Jim Boeheim's Syracuse zone. One more thing, this team will be good in 50/50 long ball possessions and if we convert, it leads to a fast break.

Josh Smith or a Gibson or a Deandre Jordan must be added to the pool. I know Team USA already perfected there defense against Pick and roll but still they need more size. Even in the last Fiba WC, they had troubles against Brazil and Russia. These teams gave them a scare. KD was on fire that is why they won there games against Russia and Brazil. USA almost lost to Spain in the last Olympics but thanks to Kobe clutch plays they won.

Spain and France is a different team right now. Russia and Argentina also looks scary. KD and Kobe are the key since they have consistent outside shooting but I think other countries already scouted them and they might already know what to do against these two. USA must train well, I really feel Team USA is beatable right now.

[CKR13]

Josh Smith or a Gibson or a Deandre Jordan must be added to the pool. I know Team USA already perfected there defense against Pick and roll but still they need more size. Even in the last Fiba WC, they had troubles against Brazil and Russia. These teams gave them a scare. KD was on fire that is why they won there games against Russia and Brazil. USA almost lost to Spain in the last Olympics but thanks to Kobe clutch plays they won.

Spain and France is a different team right now. Russia and Argentina also looks scary. KD and Kobe are the key since they have consistent outside shooting but I think other countries already scouted them and they might already know what to do against these two. USA must train well, I really feel Team USA is beatable right now.

Nothing new. Move along.